Electrical rotating apparatus for directional antennae



Sept. 4, 1951 I H. G. KOENIG 2,566,897

ELECTRICAL ROTATING APPARATUS FOR DIRECTIONAL ANTENNAE Filed Nov. 22,1948 "III".

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' INVENTORH fife/wen 6. A ae/rg Patented Sept. 4, 1951 ELECTRICALROTATING APPARATUSEEQB' DIRECTIONAL ANTENNAE Herbert G. Koenig, Merriam,Kans.

Application'iNovember 22, 1948, Serial No., 61,494,

1, Claim. 1

This invention relates to the-field of radio and more particularly toantenna supporting structure having as a component part thereof meansfor automatically imparting rotative motion to the antenna.

The most important object of the present invention is. the provision of:an electronic rota-ting apparatus for directional antennas including asectional standard, the uppermost section thereof-beingrotatable andhaving a pair of interconnected, reversible motors coupled therewith,for rotating the uppermost section as the motors are alternatelyenergized for oscillating the antenna carried by said uppermost section.

Another important object: of the present invention is to providedirectional antenna rotating apparatus havinga pair of motors mountedwith their armatures interconnected by a common shaft, there being atrain of gears interposed between the said single shaft and the standardupon-which; the, directional antenna is mounted for oscillating thelatter as the motors are alternatelyenergized.

Other objects of the present invention include the way in which the.entire; rotating, apparatus may be remotely controlled; the manner oflimiting the extent of rotative movement of the antenna in eitherdirection; and the manner of indicating to the operator; at a pointremote from the antenna, when the device is operating;

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevationalview of anelectrical-rotating apparatus-for directional antenna made inaccordancewith the present invention.

Fig. 2- is an enlarged, side elevational View similar to that shown inFig. 1, showing the rotating apparatus, per se, with one wall of thehousing therefor entirely removed.

Fig. 3 is a transverse, cross sectional view taken on line IIIIII ofFig. 2; and,

Fig. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram showing the electrical circuitforming a part of the apparatus.

As interest has developed in the field of radio among the publicgenerally and particularly among amateurs, a need has arisen for aninexpensive, accurate, easily manufactured means for imparting thenecessary oscillatory movement to a directional antenna in an automaticmanner. This invention, as will hereinafter appear, contemplates usethereof on a relatively small scale among amateurs and others desiringto attain better radio reception.

In Fig. 1, there is shown an elongated standard l that may be mountedupon a roof top or the like through the medium of a base flange l2, thelength of standard [0 varying in accordance with the desires of theuser. Standard 10 is shown simply as a tubular member, but the precisematerial from which the same is made has no bearing as long, assturdiness and cheapness of construction are maintained.

Standard H3 is supported in an upright, vertical position through themedium of a plurality of brace wires l4 having turn buckles l6interposed therein for tightening purposes. The uppermost end of, thestandard It carries a hollow casing I 8' having the six walls thereofentirely closed by removable, L-shaped side plates, as illustrated inFig. 3, and a top and a bottom.

A pair of alternating current motors 20 and 22 are mounted within thehousing l8 in spaced apart relationship. These motors 2t and 22 arepreferably of the shaded pole induction type, and each is provided witharotating armature 24 and 26, respectively, shown only in Fig. 4 ofthedrawing; Motors 2-!) and 22 have their armatures integrally connected bya common shaft 28 which, in turn, has a worm 30 formedthereon andbetween the motors 2.0. and 22.

Worm 3.0 is in mesh with a gear 32 mounted within the casing t8 upon ashaft 34 having its rotative axis substantially perpendicular to, theshaft 28; The shaft 34, is, also, provided with a worm 35 that mesheswith a gear 38 upon the lowermost, end of a vertical shaft 40' thatintersects the axis of rotation ofshaft 28.

A pinion 42' on the uppermost end of the vertioal shaft 40 is inconstant mesh with a relatively large gear 44 that. is, in. turn, keyedto a vertical member 46 that extends outwardly beyond the top of thehousing I8. One section 48 of a clamp is secured to the uppermost end ofthe rotative member 46, said section 48 cooperating with a' plate 50through the medium of a pair of screws 52 in mounting a pipe 54 upon themember 46.

The clamp 4s 5n is contoured to present an inner face which is V-shapedin form to grip the pipe 54, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing.This pipe may be of any cross sectional configuration. A directionalantenna 56, shown diagrammatically only in Fig. 1, may be mounted uponthe uppermost end of the pipe 54 in any suitable manner.

An electrical switch 58 is mounted within the housing l8 with itsactuating arm 60 in the path of travel of a downwardly-projecting pin 62on the gear 44. The arm 60 is made from flexible material; and, when thepin 62 comes into con- I mounted within a room next to the users radioat a point remote from the standard I!) and its component parts is movedin one direction, the

circuit will be closed through armature 24; and, when switch 72 is swungto the opposite end of its path of travel, the armature Z'will beenergized.

Obviously, the direction of rotation of the member 54 and the antenna 5%carried by support 54 will depend upon which of the contacts 64 or 66 isclosed by the arm 60 at the initial movement of switch 12. The operatorcan tell whether or not the device is in operation through the medium ofa lamp (4 within the circuit.

Both arms 64 and 66 are in contact with arm 60 at all times until pin 62is rotated enough to move arm 60 away from contacts 64 or 56, therebyde-energizing motor 24 or 26, as the case may be. The object is to limitthe rotation to 360 degrees of arc. Since the gear 44 and, accordingly,the member 54 can only rotate in either direction one cycle because oflimit switch 58, the interconnecting lines l6 between antenna 58 and theradio with which the same is connected will not become entangled aboutthe standard [0. The manner of mounting housing [8 upon the standard I0is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing and constitutes a pair ofV-shaped, opposed brackets 18 and 80 having bolt 82 passingtherethrough, through the standard l0 and into a tapped block 84 withinhousing It.

The necessary electric terminals, wiring, etc., for bringing theelectric circuit into coupling relationship with the motors 2!! and 22can be conveniently housed within a small case 86 depending from thehousing. I8.

The over-all simplicity, ease of manufacture and inexpensiveconstruction of the assembly above described will become apparent tothose skilled in the art, and all problems in this respect have beenfully met by the directional antenna rotating means forming the subjectmatter hereof.

While only one modification has been illustrated and described, it ismanifest that the same is subject to many changes and modifications. andthose that fairly come within the scope of the appended claim arecontemplated hereby.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

Antenna rotating structure comprising a vertical support; a housingsecured to said support; a, vertical, antenna-rotating shaft extendingupwardly from said housing and rotatably carried thereby; a pair ofelectric motors for selectively rotating said vertical shaft in oppositedirections, each of said motors having a rotatable armature, saidarmatures being adapted for rotation in opposite directions uponenergization of the motors; a horizontal shaft joining said armatures; atrain of gears in said housing operably interconnecting the verticalshaft to said horizontal shaft between said armatures and including agear mounted on the vertical shaft for rotation therewith; an electriccircuit for each motor respectively; a pair of switches common to saidcircuits, one of said switches being mounted in the housing and having aresilient actuating arm normally disposed in closing relationship toboth of said circuits, the other of said switches being normally openrelative to both circuits and being adapted to alternately close thecircuits to thereby selectively energize either of said motors; and asingle pin mounted on the gear of said vertical shaft for rotationtherewith around the axis of rotation of the vertical shaft, saidactuating arm being disposed within the path of travel of said pin formovement thereby to a position opening one of the circuits when the pinis rotated in one direction and to a position in opening the other ofsaid circuits when the pin is rotated in the opposite direction.

HERBERT G. KOENIG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Jordan Feb. 28, 1950

